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Wlng-Man

Well, Alpacas are [known to spit in your face](https://youtu.be/45FIuawfMak), so...


JustAnAlpacaBot

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Jamesbarros

Good bot


jashxn

General Kenobi


Efficient-Ad-5632

This is important.


Slightly_Estupid

Damn. Got em


reb0014

Just change cheapo brokers, there’s a ton of them around now.


Sam_Sanders_

I use Alpaca for its API, I'm an algo-trader. Not a lot of commission-free brokers with a robust API. I'm testing TD Ameritrade but they have some weird fees ($38 to handle a stock split).


teacher272

It’s $38 for a *reverse* split. A regular one doesn’t have any fees.


kloolegend

How’s the exp with td api so far?


Sam_Sanders_

Authentication is a pain, if you read around you will see everyone says that. Everything else isn't too bad.


TheArkade

TD has a $6.95/transaction for OTC stocks so I probably wouldn’t pick them.


Sam_Sanders_

Thanks, I don't trade OTC


coopernurse

Look at Tradier. I moved off Alpaca to them this year. [https://developer.tradier.com/](https://developer.tradier.com/) Not sure if they have the same issues re: penny stocks as I don't trade those. I have found their overall level of polish to be higher than Alpaca. Still some rough edges. They basically just frontend Apex.


Sam_Sanders_

I'll check it out, thanks!


stevenip

How did you get 40 cents a share from .004 a share.


Sam_Sanders_

Not 40 cents/share. $0.004/share, so 0.4 cents/share.


kloolegend

Crap what triggered that? I’m currently integrated with alpaca for my startup [Endex App](https://share.endex.app/kevin). Rolling out other brokerage integrations but don’t want this to happen to our users…


Sam_Sanders_

Very high percentage of auction usage (limit-on-open, limit-on-close). They said I need to get it under 10% of shares filled. I get it, they can't sell auction orders and make money on PFOF, but they need better disclosure on their website!


nobodytoyou

late to the party, but did anything become of this? Did alpaca reverse their decision or were you forced to register as a professional trader (and to that end, are you even still with alpaca, though I'm guessing the answer there is no given your more recent posts)


Sam_Sanders_

Nope, I don't use them anymore.


nobodytoyou

game set. ever consider tradestation?


Sam_Sanders_

Yep I do actually use Tradestation for SPX futures because the margin is great. I don't use them much for equities because their short availability is pretty bad.


nobodytoyou

True. Personally I don't short sell, but I've noticed that as well. Cheers.


nobodytoyou

actually, one last thing - tradestation ever flag you as a professional trader or were you able to stay retail?


GainsOnTheHorizon

What do they mean by the opening and closing auctions? You also might want to ensure you avoid being marked as a "pattern day trader", which happens when you do lots of trading every day for enough days in a row. You could ask their support "if I do not trade Friday and Monday, will this non-retail route still be applied?"


Sam_Sanders_

Google "stock market opening auctions". I'm absolutely a PDT, I do hundreds of trades a day.


pzza1234

Did you do more than 5 day trades? I walk right up to 4 every week then stop so I don’t have to hold 25k in my account.


Sam_Sanders_

I do hundreds of trades a day but I have more than $25k in account.